Well-documented, always worth mentioning. US currency is trusted over the tumultuous Myanmar kyat, as long as the notes are crisp and clean. Crisp and Clean. A smudge on Benjamin Franklin’s likeness could easily result in a less favorable exchange rate. A creased or wrinkled bill could lead to worthless money, seriously. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand why, US dollars must be in mint condition.

Carrying dollars in your pants pocket is not the same thing as burning it, after all Thailand bankers will happily accept your used notes, but it’s still a horrible idea. A hardcover book as a wallet will do the trick.

No Motorbikes in Yangon

The roads of Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, even Mandalay may be filled with schools of motorbikes, not Yangon. Motorbikes are illegal in most of Yangon, riders can be seen on the outskirts of town in areas like Mingalar and Hlaing Thar Yar townships.

Rumors swirl over why motorbikes are banned in Yangon. Is it policy aimed at increasing public safety, or an arbitrary rule left over from the previous government? Either way, the law has worked, motorbikes have been driven to extinction in the city centre.